Valparaiso Private Tour: UNESCO Port & Viña del Mar

Two coastal cities morning tour: steep streets, sea views, and resort gardens of a World Heritage port

A private tour from San Antonio Cruise Terminal to Valparaiso and Viña del Mar lasting six to seven hours, with an English, Spanish, Portuguese or French-speaking guide and air-conditioned transportation. You'll see Valparaiso's UNESCO-listed architecture (its steep funiculars, cobbled streets, colorful houses and artistic murals), then move to Viña del Mar's beaches, parks and botanical gardens. The route includes a scenic drive through Casablanca Valley and Curacavi Valley on the way back to Santiago.

Step-by-step itinerary

Valparaiso and Viña del Mar tour

• Drive past Lo Abarca and Casablanca Valley
• Explore Valparaiso port city and funiculars
• Visit Viña del Mar beaches and parks
• Drive through Casablanca and Curacavi Valleys

The experience

Six to seven hours takes you from the cruise terminal through two very different coastal cities. Valparaiso, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003, sits on steep hills where funiculars (cable cars) climb slopes of 30 to 50 degrees to reach neighborhoods of colorful houses, century-old buildings and secret passages. The port-city layout itself is the draw: cobbled streets, promenades overlooking the harbor, artistic murals covering walls, and homes stacked vertically on the hillsides. A private guide walks you through the neighborhoods and explains what makes the architecture and layout unusual for a port town.

Viña del Mar, by contrast, is modern and built for leisure. Known as The Garden City, it has wide beaches, manicured parks and botanical gardens where you can see the differences in climate and character between the two places. The drive there from Valparaiso is part of the experience, and on the return to Santiago you pass through Casablanca Valley and Curacavi Valley, where vineyards and agricultural crops fill the landscape. Bottled water and air conditioning are included throughout.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• a guide fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French or another language.
• bottled water throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (6 and older) · Child (2 to 5 years) · Infant (under 2): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 28 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by HecTourService

Is this one for you?Book this if you're docked in port for a limited window and want to cover both Valparaiso's hillside neighborhoods and Viña del Mar's coastal areas in one trip. The six to seven hour drive concentrates travel time so you're not splitting the day between transport and walking.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 5 years); Infant (under 2): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What are the funiculars in Valparaiso that the tour mentions?

The funiculars, called "ascensores" locally, are cable cars that climb the steep hillsides of Valparaiso at slopes of 30 to 50 degrees, connecting the lower port areas to the residential neighborhoods above. They're one of the defining features of the city's unusual architecture and layout.

Will the tour stop for lunch?

Lunch is not included in this tour. The six to seven hour itinerary covers Valparaiso, Viña del Mar and the valley drives, but you'll need to arrange or purchase meals separately.

What's included in the private transportation?

Private transportation means a dedicated vehicle and driver for your group, air-conditioned throughout the day, plus bottled water. The vehicle picks you up at San Antonio Cruise Terminal and returns you to Santiago.

What is Viña del Mar known for?

Viña del Mar is called The Garden City because of its beaches, parks and botanical gardens. It developed in the early twentieth century as a resort destination for wealthy merchants from Valparaiso, and retains that heritage in its architecture and layout.